Neurological symptoms and axonal damage in COVID-19 survivors: are there sequelae?
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Ageusia
/ pathology
Anosmia
/ pathology
Axons
/ pathology
COVID-19
/ pathology
Disease Progression
Fatigue
/ pathology
Female
Humans
Italy
Male
Memory Disorders
/ pathology
Middle Aged
Myalgia
/ pathology
Nervous System Diseases
/ pathology
Neurofilament Proteins
/ blood
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
Hypogeusia
Hyposmia
Neurofilament
NfL
SARS-CoV-2
Journal
Immunologic research
ISSN: 1559-0755
Titre abrégé: Immunol Res
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8611087
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 2021
12 2021
Historique:
received:
09
05
2021
accepted:
23
07
2021
pubmed:
8
8
2021
medline:
24
11
2021
entrez:
7
8
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The persistence of neurological symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the presence of late axonal damage, is still unknown. We performed extensive systemic and neurological follow-up evaluations in 107 out of 193 consecutive patients admitted to the COVID-19 medical unit, University Hospital of Verona, Italy between March and June 2020. We analysed serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in all cases including a subgroup (n = 29) of patients with available onset samples. Comparisons between clinical and biomarker data were then performed. Neurological symptoms were still present in a significant number (n = 49) of patients over the follow-up. The most common reported symptoms were hyposmia (n = 11), fatigue (n = 28), myalgia (n = 14), and impaired memory (n = 11) and were more common in cases with severe acute COVID-19. Follow-up serum NfL values (15.2 pg/mL, range 2.4-62.4) were within normal range in all except 5 patients and did not differentiate patients with vs without persistent neurological symptoms. In patients with available onset and follow-up samples, a significant (p < 0.001) decrease of NfL levels was observed and was more evident in patients with a severe acute disease. Despite the common persistence of neurological symptoms, COVID-19 survivors do not show active axonal damage, which seems a peculiar feature of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34363587
doi: 10.1007/s12026-021-09220-5
pii: 10.1007/s12026-021-09220-5
pmc: PMC8346772
doi:
Substances chimiques
Neurofilament Proteins
0
neurofilament protein L
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
553-557Subventions
Organisme : Brain Research Foundation Verona, Italy
ID : 2020
Informations de copyright
© 2021. The Author(s).
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